Description
This icon is a wall painting or fresco from a church near Athens, Greece. The bright blue colors so prominent here are unusual in iconography and this is one of several frescos from this same church. Here, Christ is telling Andrew and Peter in their boat, who had been cleaning their nets when Jesus approached them, to let down their nets, even though they had not taken any fish the previous night. St. John and James can be seen on the shore still cleaning their nets with their father Zebedee.
The creative Word of God, “…by Whom all things were made…” as we say in the Nicean Creed, is Jesus Christ come in the flesh. If He speaks, Creation responds most positively. When the net is lowered, such a shoal of fish is immediately caught that they call their partners John and James, and even together their boats almost sink under the weight. It was the most impressive moment of fishing in their lives, yet immediately on coming to land they left all that they had, as Jesus called them to discipleship and to become fishers of men. We, too, are called, not to apostleship, but to discipleship, so O Lord bless that we respond right away with love.